Kazakhstan: CFWIJ calls on Kazakh authorities to end the house arrest of Aigul Utepova

April 1, 2021- Blogger and YouTuber Aigul Utepova was arrested on September 17, 2020, and placed under house arrest on September 20, 2020, pending her trial. It has been more than six months since the journalist’s arrest. Aigul is only allowed to leave her apartment in case of a medical emergency. Kazakh judicial authorities have charged Aigul for participating in political movements labeled as extremist by the government. The charges against her are false and fabricated on Aigul’s social media posts. The journalist has never participated in a banned political movement. The next court hearing of her case is scheduled for April 5, and if Aigul is convicted, she could face imprisonment for up to two years. CFWIJ demands judicial authorities immediately drop the charges against Aigul Utepova and free her from detention. 

In a recent interview, Aigul told CPJ  that the information the authorities have against her is based on social media posts and comments. She emphasized that, as a journalist, she has the right to comment and research matters of public interest. At the time of her arrest, the police searched her apartment and confiscated her computer and mobile phone. The journalist is well known for her YouTube channel, Aigul TV, and she is also very active on Instagram and Facebook. It is also reported that Aigul was kept in a mental health facility for psychological evaluation from November 23, 2020, until December 2020. She believes it was an attempt to isolate her in retaliation for her work. The doctors concluded her mental well-being was perfectly healthy.

Aigul is known for her aggressive approach and outspoken opinions. She was critical of the government's handling of the Covid-19 situation within the country and wrote about the lack of preventative measures. The 50-year-old journalist has a precarious health condition, being a chronic asthma patient. In November 2020, Amnesty International stated, they consider Aigul Utepova a prisoner of conscience who is being persecuted for the peaceful expression of her opinions. The human rights organizations further asked for her immediate release without any further delay. 

The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the legal persecution of Aigul Utepova. We ask Kazakh judicial authorities to end Aigul’s unjustified house arrest and drop the baseless charges against her. We believe she must be allowed to practice her right to freedom of expression.